Baby-walker



(No Model.)

WQLANB & A. DONEY.

BABY WALKER.

N0."363,899. f Patented'May 31, 188

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM LANE AND ALFRED DoNEY, OF PEN ARGYL, PENNSYLVANIA.

BA BY-WALK-E R.

W SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 363,899, dated May31, 183'].

Application filed October 12, 1886. Serial No. 216,052. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Walkers, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in nursery-chairs; and it consistsin the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will bemore fully set forth hereinafter, and

particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate a nursery-chair embodyingour present improvements, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair inpositionto move in a straight line only, and Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view on the line at w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail View ofthe upper support of the chair.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the frame of thechair,whicl1 consists, essentially, of the inclined uprights or legs a,the horizontal longitudinal braces orpieces a, and the transversehorizontal pieces a",-all of which are very rigidly and securelyconnected together for strength and durability. The horizontal piecesand uprights or legs are braced at the points where they meet bysuitable brace irons or blocks a which are secured in place. by screwsor other suitable devices, so that the strength of the structure is verymaterially increased. To the lower ends of each pair of uprights or legsare secured or connected the runners B, and to the ends of these runnersare secured the brackets or supports for the carrying-rollers b,- or therollers may be arranged in slotted portions of the runners. Ifpreferred, however, suitable casters may be substituted for the rollers,as they are cheaper and fillv all the offices of the rollers.

We will now proceed to describe the means whereby the chair is caused totravel in a straight line and prevented from upsetting by the'eft'ortsor movements of the child in attempting to'walk. We employ straightrunners B, which.have guide-loops or eyes b rigidly affixed thereto atsuitable points, and through these guideloops are passed the sustainingwires, ropes, cords, or other like means, 0, which are stretched tautand held firmly in place. fixed supports or blocks D, which are arrangedata suitable distance from each other, and the wires are passed throughslots or openings in the said blocks or supports, so that they are notliable to become detached therefrom.

The wires are arranged parallel with each other, so that the guidingmeans on the runners of the chair will pass very readily over the wireswithout binding thereon, and at the same time cause the chair to travelin a straight "line and prevent it from being upset or overturned. -Theends of the wires or ropes are anchored or secured to suitable eyes orstops, d, which are firmlyand rigidly secured to the floor-0f thenursery or other place, and are arrangedin line with the fixed supportsor blocks, D, as clearly shown.

' From the foregoing description, taken in The wire or rope is stretchedover connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,

it will be seen that we provide an improved nursery-chair which is verysecurely anchored to the floor or other place, so that it is not liableto be easily upset, and at the same time it is capableof movement backand forth on the wires in straight lines without hinderance,

thereby materially aiding the infant to learn to walk.

F designates the support, which is arranged in a horizontal positionupon the upper end of the supportingframe. This support com- .prises aframe, F, which is made rectangular The inner meeting edges of the saidsliding sections are provided with semicircular or segmental cut-outportions f, which align and form an opening of sufficient size ordiameter fixed keeper, g, that is secured to the frame of and hold thechilds toys, 86c.

the support, and a removable pin or latch, g, which is fitted in thekeeper and is adapted to bear upon the outer edges of the slides F or toenter either of longitudinal series of openings, f made in the saidslides and adapted to suecessively register with the keepers g as theslides are drawn out. This enables the slides to be secured at anydesired distance apart. This support is capable of vertical movement oradjustment, in order to adapt the chair to children of different sizesor heights, and to the ends of the support are rigidly aifixed dependingbars H, which are adjustably connected to the support frame of thechair. These bars are preferably slotted longitudinally, and throughthese slots pass binding screws h, which work in a suitable socket inthe supporting-frame.

I designates a tray or receptacle, which is connected to one end of thesupport to receive This receptacle or tray is detachably connected tothe support by suitable locking devices, t, which, as shown herein, arein the form of pivoted hooks and fixed stops; but the form of thisdevice can be varied. The inner wall of the tray or receptacle adjacentthe end of the supportis provided with a vertical notch or recess, j,into which the fixed keeper and removable pin of the support fits, andthereby prevents endwise movement and displacement of the tray orreceptacle on the support, as will be very readily understood.

K designates a removable platform, which is arranged in a horizontalposition beneath the support and top of the frame and at a sufficientdistance therefrom to permit the child to sitthereon without crampingits limbs. This platform rests upon fixed stops k, which are secured tothe inclined standards or legs of the frame, and the platform has one ormore vertical depending pins or studs, which fit or take into asuitableaperture in one or more of the stops on the legs to prevent accidentaldisplacement of the said platform.

The operation of our invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

Our inventionis very simple, strong, and durable in construction, can beadjusted or applied by an unskilled person, is eifcctive and reliable inoperation, and cheap of manufacture.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, isy I 1. In a nursery-chair, thecombination of the fixed supports, the guiding rods or wires passingover the supports and anchored at points beyond and in line with thesupports, the traveling supporting-frame mounted upon suitablerollers-and having a support at its upper end, andthe fixed guides nearits lower end, through which the rods or wires are passed, as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the supporting frame A, having the rollers b,withthe frame F, having the side bars provided with the horizontalgrooves f in their opposing sides, the end bars of the said frame havingthe keepers g, the

slotted depending bars H, secured to the frame- F, the bolts h,extending through the said slotted bars and entering frame A, to securethe frame F thereto at any vertical adjustment, the sliding sections Ffitting in the grooves f, and having the openingf made in their op-'posing edges, said slides having the longitudinal series of openingsadapted to register with the keepers g, and the keys 9, for the purposeset forth, substantially as described.

3. A nursery-chair having the supportingframe, a V verticallyadjustablesupport connected to the frame and having the fixed keepers g at itsends, the sliding sections F, connected to the support-,and heldthereinby keys fitting in the keepers, a. tray bearing against one endof the support and having a notch or slot in one of its sides, intowhich slot one of the keepers'g fits, to prevent endwise movement of thetray, and the fastening devices at the ends of the tray for detachablyconnecting the tray to the support, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoingas our own we have heretoaifixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ILLI AM LANE. ALFRED DONEY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. MAOKY, A. 0. LA BARRE.

